Abstract: An infrared photo-detector array and a method for manufacturing it are disclosed. The infrared photo-detector array contains a plurality of pyramid-shaped structures, a first light-absorbing material supporting the plurality of the pyramid-shaped structure, a carrier-selective electronic barrier supporting the first light-absorbing material, a second light-absorbing material supporting the carrier-selective electronic barrier, and a metal reflector supporting the second light-absorbing material, wherein the plurality of the pyramid shaped structures are disposed on the side of the photo-detector array facing the incident light to be detected and the metal reflector is disposed on the opposite side of the photo-detector array. The method disclosed teaches how to manufacture the infrared photo-detector array.

Abstract: Some variations provide a method of forming a transparent icephobic coating, comprising: obtaining a hardenable precursor comprising a first component and a plurality of inclusions containing a second component, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other is a hygroscopic material; applying mechanical shear and/or sonication to the hardenable precursor; disposing the hardenable precursor onto a substrate; and curing the hardenable precursor to form a transparent icephobic coating. The coating contains a hardened continuous matrix containing regions of the first component separated from regions of the second component on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from 10 nanometers to 10 microns, such as less than 1 micron, or less than 100 nanometers. The transparent icephobic coating may be characterized by a light transmittance of at least 50% at wavelengths from 400 nm to 800 nm, through a 100-micron coating.

Abstract: Described is a system for identification of correlations in customer observables (COs). The system extracts key phrases representing COs from textual inputs from multiple data sources, wherein the COs are related to a consumer product. A unified hypergraph is constructed that models co-occurrences of COs. The unified hypergraph includes nodes and types of hyperedges connecting the nodes, where COs are represented by nodes and data sources are represented by different types of hyperedges. Each node of the unified hypergraph is embedded into a latent feature space. The unified hypergraph is partitioned into clusters within the latent feature space, where each cluster contains correlated CO data. The correlated CO data from a cluster are used to generate and provide targeted messages specific to the consumer product to a display device.

Abstract: A curved phononic waveguide. In some embodiments, the curved phononic waveguide includes a sheet including a plurality of standard reflectors and a plurality of divergent reflectors. Each of the standard reflectors is associated with a respective grid point of a grid defined by a plurality of intersecting lines, each grid point being a respective intersection of two of a plurality of intersecting lines, the grid being locally periodic to within 5%, and having a local grid spacing. Each of the standard reflectors has a center separated from the respective grid point of the standard reflector by at most 1% of the grid spacing. The divergent reflectors define a waveguide among the standard reflectors, each of the divergent reflectors being an absent reflector or a reflector that is smaller than one of the standard reflectors.

Abstract: A motion-sensing circuit for determining a direction of motion and a velocity of an object includes a first photo-receptor for sensing the object, an excitatory active memristor neuron circuit coupled to the first photo-receptor, a second photo-receptor for sensing the object, an inhibitory active memristor neuron circuit coupled to the second photo-receptor, and a self-excitatory active memristor output-counter neuron circuit coupled to the excitatory active memristor neuron circuit and coupled to the inhibitory active memristor neuron circuit.

Abstract: A closed-loop system for asynchronous brain control of at least one task includes a brain state decoder configured to decode neural signals of a user into control signals for controlling the at least one task, a task interface module configured to transmit the control signals to the at least one task, store status information including a series of messages regarding each of the at least one task, and select one message of the series of messages regarding the at least one task to transmit to the user, and a brain state encoder configured to map the one message received from the task interface module into brain state montages for transmission to the user.

Abstract: A sensor comprising a resonator structure arranged for resonating along a first plane; and at least one sensing electrode arranged on a second plane parallel to said first plane at a predetermined distance of said resonator structure along a direction normal to said first plane.

Abstract: A method for collecting and processing user input. In some embodiments the method includes presenting a first user with a prompt for eliciting a first response, the first response including a numerical portion including one or more numbers, and an explanatory portion; receiving, from the first user, the first response; receiving from each of a plurality of other users, a respective response of a plurality of other responses; and displaying, to the first user, an ordered list of other responses. Within the ordered list, a second response, of the plurality of other responses, may be earlier than a third response, of the plurality of other responses, the second response being, according to a measure of distance, more distant, than the third response, from the first response.

Abstract: A Continuous Phase Frequency Shift Keying modulator provided to receive a series of binary symbols having a predetermined repetition period, and generate a series of sinusoidal signals comprising in sequence: a first sinusoidal signal with a first frequency in response to each received binary symbol having a first binary value; and a second sinusoidal signal with a second frequency in response to a received binary symbol having a second binary value, where the lowest of the first and second frequencies is larger than or equal to a third of the symbol rate; wherein the sinusoidal signals are shortened or lengthened with respect to the binary symbol they respond to, such that each first sinusoidal signal comprises an integer number of half periods of said first frequency and each second sinusoidal signal comprises an integer number of half periods of said second frequency.

Abstract: A RF antenna comprises a quartz resonator having electrodes disposed thereon with a magnetostrictive film disposed on the quartz resonator either on, partially under or adjacent at least one of the electrodes.

Abstract: Described is a system for action recognition through application of deep embedded clustering. For each image frame of an input video, the system computes skeletal joint-based pose features representing an action of a human in the image frame. Non-linear mapping of the pose features into an embedded action space is performed. Temporal classification of the action is performed and a set of categorical gesture-based labels is obtained. The set of categorical gesture-based labels is used to control movement of a machine.

Abstract: A vertical directional coupler or switch comprising a lower and an upper waveguide, integrated with an optical phase change material disposed between the lower and upper waveguides to control a directional of optical coupling between the lower and upper waveguides.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a part includes additively manufacturing, with an additive manufacturing machine, at least one wall of the part having a first thickness from powder in a powder bed, and peening, with a peening system, at least a portion of the wall of the part. The peening induces plastic deformation in the portion of the wall. The portion of the wall that is peened has a second thickness less than the first thickness of the wall prior to peening. The second thickness of the portion of the wall may be less than a minimum thickness limit achievable by the additive manufacturing machine.

Abstract: Described is a system for activity and behavior detection in a target system. Raw data extracted from various heterogeneous sources of the target system is fused across spatial and temporal scales into a multi-graph representation. Information flows of the multi-graph representation are analyzed using a set of multi-layer information dynamic measures. Based on the set of multi-layer information dynamic measures, at least one of an economic and social indicator of emerging activity of interest in the target system is derived. The indicator is then used for prediction of future activity of interest in the target system.

Abstract: Some variations provide a multiphase polymer composition comprising a first polymer material and a second polymer material that are chemically distinct, wherein the first polymer material and the second polymer material are microphase-separated on a microphase-separation length scale from about 0.1 microns to about 500 microns, wherein the multiphase polymer composition comprises first solid functional particles selectively dispersed within the first polymer material, and wherein the first solid functional particles are chemically distinct from the first polymer material and the second polymer material. Some embodiments provide an anti-corrosion composition comprising first corrosion-inhibitor particles or precursors selectively dispersed within the first polymer material, wherein the multiphase polymer composition optionally further comprises second corrosion-inhibitor particles or precursors selectively dispersed within the second polymer material.

Abstract: A Field Effect Transistor (FET) device and a method for manufacturing it are disclosed. The FET device contains a graphene layer, a composite gate dielectric layer disposed above the graphene layer, wherein the composite gate layer is passivated with fluorine, and a metal gate disposed above the composite gate dielectric layer. The method disclosed teaches how to manufacture the FET device.

Abstract: In some variations, the invention provides a method of depositing nanoparticles on a substrate, comprising: providing a substrate having a positive or negative surface charge; optionally depositing a polymer on the substrate, wherein the polymer has opposite charge polarity compared to the substrate; and simultaneously depositing first nanoparticles and second nanoparticles onto the substrate, wherein the first nanoparticles and the second nanoparticles have opposite charge polarities during depositing. Other variations provide a method of depositing a layer of nanoparticles on a substrate, the method comprising: providing a substrate having a positive or negative surface charge; providing faceted nanoparticles; preparing a nanoparticle solution containing the nanoparticles; and adjusting surface charge of the nanoparticles by changing the solution pH to reduce the magnitude of average zeta potential of the nanoparticles, thereby causing aggregation of the nanoparticles onto the substrate surface.

Abstract: A RF transmitting device and method for transmitting digital information wherein the device is connected to or connectable with an antenna, the RF transmitting device having an RF source or transmitter, an electronic switch, a plurality electromechanical resonators each connected to the electronic switch. The electronic switch connects a selected one or selected ones of the electromechanical resonators between the RF source or transmitter and the antenna. Alternatively, the electronic switch connects a selected one or selected ones of the electromechanical resonators between different portions of the antenna. The electronic switch is controlled by a digital control unit for causing the electronic switch to couple RF energy produced by the RF source or transmitter to the antenna via the selected one or selected ones of the plurality of electromechanical resonators.

Abstract: An autonomous navigation system for a vehicle includes a controller configured to control the vehicle, sensors configured to detect objects in a path of the vehicle, nonvolatile memory including an artificial neural network configured to classify the objects detected by the sensors, and a processor. The artificial neural network includes a series of neurons in each of an input layer, at least one hidden layer, and an output layer. The memory includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to train the artificial neural network on a first task, identify, utilizing a contrastive excitation backpropagation algorithm, important neurons for the first task, identify, utilizing a learning algorithm, important synapses between the neurons for the first task based on the important neurons identified, and rigidify the important synapses to achieve selective plasticity of the series of neurons in the artificial neural network.

Abstract: Described is an improved brain-machine interface including a neural interface and a controllable device in communication with the neural interface. The neural interface includes a neural device with one or more sensors for collecting signals of interest and one or more processors for conditioning the signals of interest, extracting salient neural features from and decoding the conditioned signals of interest, and generating a control command for the controllable device. The controllable device performs one or more operations according to the control command, and the neural device administers neuromodulation stimulation to reinforce operation of the controllable device.